Fabrication of composite fur pelt

ABSTRACT

D R A W I N G APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE CUTTING AND LETTING OUT OF FUR PELTS TO FABRICATE NOVEL COMPOSITE FUR PELTS, INCLUDING MEANS FOR AND STEPS OF STATIONARILY SPATIALLY POSITIONING THE FUR SIDE BOUNDARY SURFACE OF A FUR PELT IN A SELECTIVE LONGITUDINAL CUTTING PLANE ADJACENT A LONGITUDINAL CUTTING PATH WITH THE FUR SIDE OF THE PELT FACING AWAY FROM THE CUTTING PATH AND HAVING THE FUR IN UNCOMPACTED DISPOSITION AND WITH THE NON-FUR SIDE BOUNDARY SURFACE OF THE PELT EXTENDING INTO SUCH CUTTING PATH, AND CUTTING THE PELT INTO PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS OR STIPS ALONG THE CUTTING PATH BY COMPLETELY CUTTING THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THE PELT IN A DIRECTION FROM THE NON-FUR SIDE TO A DEPTH COINCIDING WITH SAID CUTTING PLANE AT THE FUR SIDE BOUNDARY SURFACE WITHOUT CUTTING INTO THE FUR AND WITHOUT DISTRIBUTING THE CORRESPONDING STATIONARY SPATIAL POSITIONING OF THE RESULTANT CUT PORTIONS, AND LETTING OUT SUCH CUT PORTIONS BY LONGITUDINALLY MOVING THE CUT PORTIONS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO A POSITIONAL RELATION IN WHICH THE CUT PORTIONS ARE IN SUCCESSIVE INCREMENTAL LONGITUDINALLY OFFSET RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITIONAL RELATION WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SPATIAL POSITIONING OF SAID CUT PORTIONS, TO PERMIT THE RECONNECTING OF THE CUT PORTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER IN SAID OFFSET RELATION AND SPATIAL POSITIONING BY APPLYING A PELT BONDING AGENG TO THE SEAMS OF THE ADJACENT OFFSET PORTIONS, TO FORM A COMPOSITE, LET OUT AND CORRESPONDINGLY RECONNECTED FUR PELT HAVING THE FUR THEREFO INTACT IN UNCUT CONDITION AND THE SEAMS FREE FROM ANY INTERPOSED FUR HAIR THEREAT.

July 24, 1973 c. P. PIAMPIANO ET AL FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE FUR FELT 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 25, 1971 P. PIAMPIANO PIAMPIANO RR UN@ A0 ATTORNEY Www/NWHHHHHQMHMHHHMNUH@ July 24, 1973 c. P. PIAMPIANO ET AL 3.748.212

FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE FUR FELT Filed Aug. 23, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet, 2

ATTORNEY July 24, 1973 C. P. PIAMPIANO ET AL 3,748,212

FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE FUR FELT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 25, 1971 A il;

INVENTORS CARL P. PIAMPIANO GORRA J. PIAMPIANO ATTORNEY July 24, 1973 c. P. PIAMPIANO ET Al- 3,748,212

FABRICATION 0F COMPOSITE FUR PELT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 25, 1971 PIAMPIANO PIAMPIANO ATTORNEY INV ENTORS CARL GORRA United States Patent C 3,748,212 FABRICATION F CMPOSITE FUR PELT Carl i?. Piampiano and Corra J. Piampiano, both of 2691 Wadsworth Road, Zion, Ill. 60099 Filed Aug. 23, 1971, Ser. No. 173,788 Int. Cl. C141) 1/00, 15/00 U.S. Cl. 161-36 37 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSE Apparatus and method for the cutting and letting out of fur pelts to fabricate novel composite fur pelts, including means for and steps of stationarily spatially positioning the fur side boundary surface of a fur pelt in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of the pelt facing away from the cutting path and having the fur in uncompacted disposition and wit the non-fur side boundary surface of the pelt extending into such cutting path, and

cutting the pelt into parallel longitudinal portions or strips along the cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from the non-fur side to a depth coinciding with said cutting plane at the fur side boundary surface without cutting into the fur and without disturbing the corresponding stationary spatial positioning of the resultant cut portions, and

letting out such cut portions by longitudinally moving the cut portions relative to one another to a positional relation in which the cut portions are in successive incremental longitudinally odset relation With respect to their original positional relation while maintaining said spatial positioning of said cut portions,

to permit the reconnecting of the cut portions to one another in said odset relation and spatial positioning by applying a pelt bonding agent to the seams of the adjacent odset portions, to form a composite, let out and correspondingly reconnected fur pelt having the fur thereof intact in uncut condition and the seams free from any interposed fur hair thereat.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the cutting, letting out and reconnecting of fur pelts to form novel composite pelts having the fur hair thereof intact in uncut condition and the seams of the interconnected longitudinally odset cut portions or strips free from any interposed fur hair thereat.

Heretofore, the production of composite let out fur pelts, for instance from natural animal fur pelts, has been carried out by tedious and time consuming manual operations in which the pelt being worked is first cut into strips, usually on the bias with respect to the head to rump longitudinal orientation of the pelt, then each cut strip is successively odset lengthwise with respect to the previous strip in ordinal sequence to let out or lengthen the pelt to the desired extent, and then the individual strips are sewn together in their odset reassembled relation. A high degree of wastage is often encountered in practice in sewing the strips back together because of the necessary overlapping at the stitched edges, and in trimming the individual strips to attain ush reassembling of the cut strips along the adjacent seam areas and proper alignment of the finished composite pelt when combined with similar composite let out pelts to form a garment.

The strips are conventionally cut from a lateral half of a ventrally cut-open cased or tubular natural animal pelt severed from the remaining half thereof by a substantially central lengthwise axial cut dorsally extending from the head end to the rump end of the natural pelt.

3,748,212 Patented July 24, 1973 P lCC The pelt is normally used in the form of a dressed or tanned pelt. The cut strips may be of substantially the same width, and usually extend in a longitudinal direction at an angle to the axial cut of the helf pelt and correspondingly outwardly slant in relation to the original half pelt from the dorsally cut side to the vertically cut-open side thereof.

Aside from the tediousness and time consuming nature of the manual operations involved in fabricating a conventional composite pelt, the very fact that fur hair is present makes the task that much more dicult. Por instance, if a scissor type cut is made into the pelt, some of the fur is bound to get in the way and be cut along with the pelt. Th'e same is true if the cutting is carried out by applying knife edges downwardly aginst the nonfur or Iilesh side of the pelt, since in executing such cuts, as the knife edges reach the fur side of the pelt, fur hair is severed as well. Cut four hair mars the general appearance of the composite pelt and in particular emphasizes the joinder lines of the individual pelt strips by the very presence of this stubble.

More importantly, it is impossible to reassemble and sew the cut strips in longitudinally odset relation, when effecting the letting out procedure, Without some of the fur hair extending into the seams and lodging between abutting edges of adjacent strips. This also detracts from the neatness of the joined seams and essentially prevents the adjacent edges from meeting and properly seating against each other. Specifically, the thickness of the fur hair between the adjacent cut edges keeps the edges apart suiciently to prevent their proper reconnection. Attempts to overcome this problem, such as by manually forcing back the fur hair at the seam to the fur side of the pelt or by use or air suction devices for the same purpose, have not been completely successful and involve further timeconsuming and tedious steps in the overall procedure.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing disadvantages and to provide an improved apparatus and method for the more efficient combined cutting, letting out and reconnecting of fur pelts, to form a novel composite pelt composed of bonded together odset cut portions or strips having, preferably essentially, all of the fur hair thereof intact in uncut condition and the seams of the so-interconnected longitudinally odset cut portions, preferably essentially, free from any interposed fur hair thereat.

It is another object to provide such an apparatus and method in connection with which the fur side boundary surface of the fur pelt being processed is substantially stationarily spatially positioned in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of the pelt facing away from such cutting path and having the fur in substantially uncompacted or natural dow disposition, While maintaining such orientation throughout the cutting, letting out and reconnecting steps, so that the cutting of the pelt can be carried out along the cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from the non-fur side to a depth, preferably essentially, coinciding with the cutting plane, and, preferably essentially, without cutting into the fur.

It is another object of the invention to provide such apparatus and method for the multistep cutting, letting out and reconnecting of the cut pelt portions in resultant successive incremental longitudinally odset relation with respect to their original positional relation, in a more o1' less partially automatic and continuous manner for more rapid and more elicient fabrication of the composite pelt.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to effectuate such fabrication method which is simple and durable in construction, and to provide as a product thereof an improved composite fur pelt having the corresponding cut portions interconnected together by a bonding agent, and preferably reinforced by a backing.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the within specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of one form of apparatus for eifecting the cutting, letting out and reconnecting of the cut pelt portions in offset relation, in the fabrication of a composite fur pelt according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. l, showing in particular the tenter assembly for holding the pelt to be cut, let out and reconnected;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged schematic end elevational and plan views, respectively, of the cutting assembly of the apparatus embodiment of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic sectional View of the cutting assembly taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged schematic transverse sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, illustrating in particular the somewhat exaggerated spatial disposition of the fur pelt and the cutting means;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged schematic side elevational and plan views, respectively, of portions of the tenter assembly of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic plan views, respectively, of the aggregate operative area of the tenter assembly of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating the disposition thereon of a fur pelt correspondingly before cutting and after letting out the cut pelt portions;

FIGS. 1l and 12 are schematic end and side elevational views, respectively, of a pelt stretching assembly for stretching a tubular natural animal fur pelt prior to the cutting open of the pelt to form a flat pelt to be eventually treated according to the invention;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are enlarged schematic sectional views, respectively, of interconnected portions of a sewn composite pelt and a bonded composite pelt having a backing, correspondingly, according to the present invention;

FIG. 1S is an enlarged schematic plan view, as seen from the non-fur or fur-free side, of a composite full pelt composed of two corresponding interconnected composite half pelts made from the same natural animal fur pelt; and

FIG. 16 is a schematic view, as seen from the non-fur or fur-free side, of a portion of a composite fur plate or shell composed of a plurality of interconnected composite full pelts of the type shown in FIG. l5.

Broadly, in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus is provided for cutting and letting out fur pelts which comprises tenter means for substantially stationarily spatially positioning the fur side boundary surface of a fur pelt, preferably essentially, in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of the pelt facing away from the cutting path and having the fur in substantially uncompacted disposition and with the non-fur vside boundary surface of the pelt extending into the cutting path, cutting means for cutting the pelt into substantially parallel longitudinal portions or strips along the cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from the non-fur side to a depth, preferably essentially, coinciding with the cutting plane at the fur side boundary surface, preferably essentially without cutting into the fur and, preferably essentially, without disturbing the corresponding substantially stationarily spatial positioning of the resultant cut portions or strips, and means for letting out the cut portions by longitudinally moving such cut portions relative to one another to a positional relation in which they are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation while maintaining said spatial positioning thereof.

In this way, the reconnecting of the cut portions or strips to one another in their offset relation and spatial positioning can take place efficiently and properly to form a cornposite, let out and correspondingly reconnected fur pelt.

In like manner, the present invention provides an improved method of fabricating cut, let out and reconnected composite fur pelts which comprises substantially stationarily spatially positioning the fur side pelt boundary surface of a fur pelt, preferably essentially, in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of such pelt facing away from such cutting path and having the fur in substantially uncompacted disposition and with the non-fur side boundary surface of the pelt extending into the cutting path, cutting the pelt into substantially parallel longitudinal portions or strips along the cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from the non-fur side to a depth, preferably essentially, coinciding with the cutting plane at the fur side boundary surface and, preferably essentially, without cutting into the fur, letting out the cut portions by longitudinally moving such cut portions relative to one another to a positional relation in which they are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation, and reconnecting the portions to one another by applying a pelt bonding agent substantially along the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent resultant odset portions. The cutting, letting out and reconnecting steps are all carried out while substantially stationarily spatially maintaining the fur side boundary surface of the resultant individual cut through portions or strips, preferably essentially, in the cutting plane with the fur still in substantially uncompacted disposition.

The corresponding improved cut, let out and reconnected composite fur pelt, thus produced, comprises a plurality of individual substantially parallel longitudinal portions or strips, cut sequentially from the same fur pelt, in let out positional relation to one another in which the strips are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation yet in the same positional sequence, and reconnected to one another by a pelt bonding agent applied substantially along the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset strips, and having, preferably essentially, all of the fur thereof intact in uncut condition on the corresponding fur side of the pelt and the seams, preferably essentially, free from any interposed fur hair thereat.

Referring to the drawing, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus is shown for cutting and letting out fur pelts, especially natural animal fur pelts, for in situ reconnection to form a composite pelt, in accordance with the linvention. The apparatus includes a tenter assembly 1 having tenter means for substantially stationarily spatially positloning the fur side boundary surface of a fur pelt (see FIG. 9), preferably essentially, in a selective longitudinal c uttmg plane iC (see FIG. 6) adjacent a longitudinal cuttlng path P, with the fur side of the pelt facing away from the cutting path and having the fur in substantially uncompacted disposition and with the non-fur side boundary surface of the pelt extending into the cutting path (see FIGS. 3 and 6). A cutting assembly 2 (see FIGS. l and 3 to 6) having cutting means is positioned for longitudinal movement above and along the tenter assemblygl for cutting the pelt into substantially parallel longitudlnal portions or strips along the cutting path P by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from such non-fur side to a depth, preferably essentially, coinciding with the cutting plane C at the fur side boundary surface without cutting into the fur and without disturbing the corresponding substantially stationarily spatial positioning of the resultant cut portions. Means 3 for letting out the cut portions are further provided to elect the longitudinal moving of the cut portions relative to one another (see FIG. l0) to a positional relation in which they are in successive incremental longitudinal offset relation with respect to their original positional relation (see FIG. 9) while maintaining the aforesaid spatial positioning of the cut portions or strips, to permit the reconnecting of the cut portions to one another in their offset relation and spatial positioning whereby to form the composite, let out and correspondingly reconnected fur pelt.

More specifically, in accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, a plurality of side by side longitudinal tenter members 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 8) are positioned on platform 5 for longitudinal movement relative to one another from a selective original parallel position to a selective offset parallel position in which the tenter members are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original position relation (cf. FIGS. 9 and 10). Pelt retaining means 6 (see FIGS. 2, 7 and 8), for example in the form of spaced apart pelt engaging tenter pins, are provided on each tenter member 4 for effecting the aligned individual substantially stationary spatial positioning of a corresponding overlying portion of the fur pelt thereon in spaced relation to the corresponding tenter member 4 With the fur side facing such tenter member and the common fur side pelt boundary surface of all of the pelt portions lying essentially,

and preferably precisely, in the selective cutting plane C (see FIG. 6).

Also, longitudinally movable cutting means 7 are provided, including a plurality of side by side operable cutting edges 8 (see FIGS. 3 to 5). Cutting edges 8 are laterally aligned respectively intermediate the side by side tenter members 4 and positioned above and in opposed facing relation thereto. Edges 8 have a common selective cutting depth essentially, and preferably precisely, coinciding with the cutting plane C for movement into cuting contact with the pelt correspondingly essentially, and preferably precisely, along the cutting plane, to achieve the complete cutting through of the pelt without cutting into the fur and without disturbing the resultant aligned individual substantially stationary spatial positioning of each cut pelt portion of the corresponding tenter member 4 (see FIG. 6).

To accommodate the longitudinal movement of cutting assembly 2 along cutting path P, track means 9, for example in the form of a pair of longitudinally extending vertical rails or bars, are provided, each track means having a corresponding straight edge track surface 10 essentially, and preferably precisely, coinciding with a common longitudinal travel plane (not shown). This will insure practically absolute straight line travel of each cutting edge 8 along the cutting plane C at a cutting depth essentially coinciding therewith. The tolerance of deviation from an absolute straight line path should be at most about 1/1000 inch, and the track surfaces are correspondinglyv ground and/ or polished to achieve this tolerance.

The travel means or rails 9 are desirably substantially parallel and preferably adjustably mounted on the correspondingly substantially parallel angle bars 11 via belts 12. Bolts 12 are vertically adjustable in angle bar slots 13 to align precisely such track surfaces 10 in the travel plane at a selective height or level with respect to platform S, tenter members 4 and cutting plane C. Such travel plane is preferably precisely parallel with the cutting plane and the adjustment of the track means normally need only be made once. Furthermore, angle bars 11 are preferably horizontally or laterally adjustable with respect to platform 5 and the tenter members 4.

Angle bars 11 are spaced above platform 5 by the disposition therebelow of the correspondingly substantially parallel and selectively sized flat side walls 14 and similarly selectively sized spacer collars 15. Specifically, side walls 14 are fixed to the top of platform S and the corresponding angle bars 11 are connected in vertically spaced relation thereto by the interposed collars 15 and the corresponding bolts 16, to form the substantially parallel longitudinal slide slots 17 through which the corresponding ends of the letting out means 3 slidably extend. The lateral slots 18 defined in angle bars 11 permit such lateral adjustment of the angle bars to take place for more precise lateral or transverse alignment in turn of the corresponding substantially parallel track surfaces 10.

Conveniently, this assembly of track means essentially laterally outwardly confines or retains the side by side tenter means against lateral or transverse displacement.

In the cutting assembly 2, the cutting means 7 are operatively mounted on skid means 19, for example in the form of a pair of substantially parallel vertical skid plates or bars (see FIGS. 3 and 5) having skid surfaces essentially, and preferably precisely, coinciding with the travel plane, for precise longitudinal movement correspondingly on the track surfaces 10 to move the cutting edges 8 into cutting Contact with the pelt correspondingly precisely along cutting plane C (see FIG. 6). The cutting means 7 are also preferably adjustable with respect to the skid means 19 to bring the cutting edges 8 to a cutting depth precisely coinciding with the cutting plane, e.g. within said 1/1000 inch tolerance. The cutting edges 8 are preferably razor sharp, e.g. sharpened steel blades. The skid means 19 are carried by the lateral skid fenders 20 of the underframe of the cutting assembly 2 Which are conveniently provided with transverse slots 21 to permit horizontal or transverse adjustment of the skid means via the attaching screws 22 passing through the corresponding skid means 19 and into the upper portions of the skid means.

In this regard, experience has shown that other means such as wheels or rollers for mounting the cutting assembly 2 for longitudinal movement along the cutting path are not appropriate, since the wheels or rollers cannot normally be machined in an economically practical way to the precise tolerances needed nor can their axles or journals be similarly precisely aligned. Even the application of a thin plastic film (Teflon) onto the track surfaces 10 is sufficiently uneven to exceed the necessary approximately 1/1000 inch tolerance for the system. Thus, a normal wheel or roller system is generally not accurate enough because the wheels or rollers are not perfectly round and the axles become worn or bent in use.

Such inaccuracies are compounded by the presence of extraneous dust,dirt or fur hair on the track surfaces 10 or by the provision for such a plastic film. On the other hand, the instant skid means 19 merely push `aside any such dust, dirt or fur hair on the essentially perfectly smooth ground track surfaces 10 so as to maintain the tolerance relationship desired.

More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the cutting means 7 may be in the form of at least one rotary cutter 23 (two being shown) containing a plurality of side by side cutting discs 24 with the parallel pelt cutting edges 8 thereof having the aforementioned cutting depth and razor sharpness. Where two rotary cutters 23 in tandem are used, for example, the cutting discs 24 will be offset on the rotary cutters so that the cutting edges 8 on one rotary cutter will be aligned with the intersections between every other tenter member 4 and its adjacent tenter member while the cutting edges 8 on the other rotary cutter will be aligned wtih the alternate intersection between every alternate tenter member and its adjacent tenter member. In this way, the cutting edges 8 on the one rotary cutter will cut the pelt into longitudinal strips, for instance, which are twice the selective width desired, and then the cutting edges 8 on the other rotary cutter will cut each of the wide strips into two corresponding strips of the proper selective final width.

It will be realized of course that the number and width of the tenter members 4 and the aggregate number of and spaced apart interval between the cutting discs 24 must be matched to achieve the longitudinal cutting of the pelt into a number of strips of the desired individual width which corresponds to the number of tenter members on which the pelt and resultant pelt strips are carried in the desired spatial disposition. It will often be preferable to employ only one rotary cutter having the proper number of cutting discs to match the size pelt being cut and the corresponding number of tenter members, e.g. in a one to one ratio of discs to tenter members, for accommodating individually the cut strips. Each rotary cutter should preferably rotate downwardly onto the non-fur side of the pelt to bite into the material thereat, without dislodging the pelt from the pins, and in effect to pull the pelt into contact therewith.

The rotary cutters 23 are rotatably mounted by the corresponding axles 25 in the bearing blocks 26 which are -xed to end plates 27. Rocker shaft 28 iixedly interconnects the pair of bearing blocks 26 and end plates 27 in spaced apart relation to form a rigid cutter frame carrying the rotary cutter 23 which may be rocked about the axis of rocker shaft 28 by the handle 29 to bring one rotary cutter above the other and out of operative position such as where only one rotary cutter 23 is desired to be used. In this instance the tenter members will be replaced by a different wider set corresponding to the cutting interval of the rotary cutter remaining in operative cutting position, e.g. to cut wider strips, or the one operative cutter will be replaced by a different one having a cutting interval corresponding to the widths of the original set of tenter members.

A pair of suspension spindles 30 or the like are inserted crosswise of the rocker shaft 28 through corresponding bearing apertures 31 in the transverse walls 32 of the cutter housing 33 which is mounted on the underframe skid fenders 20. vA linking bar 34 rests at its end portions on the intermediate portions of the corresponding spindles 30, and carries in turn thereon the adjacent end portions of the rocker shaft 28 via the finely adjustable U-bolt and follower mechanisms 35 (see FIG. 5) embracing both the rocker shaft 28 and the linking bar 34 at each respective end portion thereof. In this way, by turning the nuts on the U-bolt and follower mechanisms 35, the level of the rocker shaft 28 and in turn of the bearing blocks 26 and rotary cutters 23 can be precisely adjusted with respect to the vertical, and more particularly with respect to the cutter housing 33, skid means 19 and cutting plane, to bring the cutting edges S to the desired selective coincidence with such cutting plane.

The end plates 27 of the cutter frame are dimensioned to slidably ride against the end walls 36 of the cutter housing 33 with suiiicient clearance from the transverse walls 32 to permit limited rocking of the cutter frame about the axis of rocker shaft 28. To accommodate the adjustment range of the cutter frame, vertical axle slots 37 are provided in the end wall 36 on the drive supply side of the cutter housing 33 l(the left side as viewed in FIG. 4) through which the corresponding axles 25 extend for connection to the drive system, while corresponding vertical shaft slots 38 are provided in both end walls 36 through which the adjacent ends of the rocker shaft 28 protrude. The handle 29 for controlling the rocking disposition of the rocker shaft 28 and in turn of the cutter frame is embraced `by a retaining bracket 39 forming a limited range rocking slot 4t). The adjacent embraced portion of the handle 29 is enlarged at 41 to provide a screw abutment surface for locking screw 42 in any angular position of handle 29.

In conjunction with the locking feature of handle 29 and locking screw 42, and the adjustment feature of the adjustable mechanisms 35, top bracket extensions 43 are provided at the respective top ends of the cutter housing 33 which operatively overlie the corresponding top portions of the respective end plates 27 of the cutter frame. Opposed alignment screws 44 are operatively positioned in each extension 43, one on each side of the rocker axis of rocker shaft 28, to bear against the top portion of the corresponding end plate 27 thereat. This will provide a downward force component against the cutter frame pposed to and cooperative with the corresponding upward force component thereagainst provided by the U-bolt and follower mechanisms 35 operatively mounted on the spindles 30, whereby to spatially adjust and fix against displacement the cutter frame and in turn the rotary cutters 23 with respect to the cutter housing 33 and skid means 19, i.e. in any angular position of handle 29.

The end plate 27 can then be locked against the end walls 33 by rotating the spindles 30 via the offset lever ends thereof until the appropriate locking cam l5 frictionally compressively engages the adjacent end plate. As can be seen more clearly from FIG. 5, the upper portions of the bearing blocks 26 are outwardly and downwardly sloped to provide suicient clearance for the unhindered rotation of the cams 45 to effect their locking engagement with the adjacent portions of the end plates 27. This will insure positive locking of the system against undesired displacement despite the fact that the rotary cutters 23 will be placed under the rotary force of the drive system, e.g. the main drive belt linkage 46 between the motor 47 and the forewardmost axle 25 and the secorndary drive belt linkage 4S between the two axles 25. Such linkages are preferably maintained under selectively adjustable tension by conventional means (not shown).

Axially adjustable collars 49 can be provided, if desired, to position more precisely in axial direction the rotary cutters 23 and in turn the cutting edges 8 with respect to the bearing `blocks 26 and the tenter members 4. yIn particular, as shown more clearly in FIG. 5, a separate bearing arm 50 connected by screws 51 to the -underside of each bearing block 26 can be utilized for rotatably mounting the axles 25 for convenient interchanging of different size rotary cutters. Bearing arms 50, or when one piece, bearing blocks 26, can be made of a tempered iiberboard type composition, i.e. a long wearing material which is both smooth and hard. Such iiberboard type composition should be suiciently long wearing, for example, to carry operatively the axles 25, even when rotated at high speeds, e.g. preferably at about r.p.m., and under the normally 4sliding abutment of the collars 49 thereagainst, without undue wear of the corresponding journal and bearing areas thereof against which the adjacent portions of the axles 25 and collars 49 operatively slide.

It has been found optionally desirable to provide a slack-compensating or ironing comb 52 (see especially FIG. 6) on the skid means 19, for instance by selectively mounting such comb on the lower portion of the forwardmost transverse wall 32 of the cutter housing 33, just ahead of the cutting edges 8, to preliminarily tautly engage or iron the non-fur side of the pelt 53 being cut. This will facilitate the cutting thereof by the corresponding cutting edges which extend to the stated cutting depth preferably precisely coinciding with the cutting plane C. Comb 52 contains shallow grooves in the direction of the longitudinal cutting path aligned with the pelt engaging tenter pins 6 on the tenter members 4. These grooves permit passage of the comb along the tenter pin rows without obstruction while the comb simultaneously slidably presses against and irons the adjacent non-fur side boundary surface of the pelt 53 to enhance the requisite cutting thereof, as when only one rotary cutter 23 is used for the cutting.

The comb 52 will normally be dirnensioned and arranged with respect to the height of the pins 6 on the tenter members 4 and the selective thickness of the pelt being cut to maintain the fur side boundary surface of the pelt, precisely in the cutting plane C, so that the cutting edges 8 cut completely through the pelt but do not cut any of the fur hair therebelow due to the uncompacted or natural unmatted or unsqueezed disposition of the fur hair thereat. Stated another way, the cutting plane in essence represents and is operatively defined per se by the selected spatial disposition and level of the fur side boundary surface of the particular selected pelt and provides a terminology reference for the lower common terminating depth of the cutting edges with respect to position of such fur side boundary surface. The adjustment of the depth of the cutting edges 8, for instance by way of one or more of the aforedescribed vertical adjustment means, can be attained at such tolerance of about 1/1000 inch which lwill permit the desired precise alignment with the fur side boundary surface of the pelt on the tenter pins and essentially prevent any cutting of the fur hair even though it may lay closely adjacent such boundary surface.

As may be seen in FIGS. l and 3, selectively sized longitudinal spacer `blocks 54 can be optionally disposed at the outer lateral sides of the group of tenter members 4 in abutment with the at side walls 14 fixed to platform 5. Spacer blocks 54 can thus take up any eXtra space and substantially retain or confine the tenter members 4 laterally therebetween and prevent undesired lateral displacement thereof.

As is more evident from FIGS. 7 and 8, each tenter member 4 is provided in at least one corresponding longitudinal end thereof with an end slot 55 which extends in a slot plane substantially parallel to the cutting plane and to platform S. Two such end slots 55 are shown in each tenter member 4 in FIGS, 7 and 8. A corresponding letting out means 3, for instance taking the form of a lateral guide bar, containing an elongated swivel slot 56, is inserted into the common end slots 55 at such corresponding end of the tenter members 4. The ends of the guide bars 3 ride in the slide slots 17 on platform 5 (see FIG. l). Each end slot 55 is provided with a linking rod or bolt 57 extending through the adjacent elongated swivel slot 56 and the corresponding end slot, to linkably interconnect the common ends of the tenter members to the adjacent guide bar thereat. This will permit controlled selective incremental displacement in longitudinal direction of the tenter members with respect to one another from their original position to their offset position by angular displacement of the corresponding bar 3 with respect to the longitudinal direction. Of course, tenter members 4 are normally retained substantially against lateral displacement throughout by reason of the presence of the selectively sized flat side walls 14 and/or of the optional spacer blocks 54 (see FIGS. l and 3).

Preferably, the substantially centermost tenter member 4 is fixed against displacement, i.e, stationarily secured to platform via the linking rods or bolts 57a at the corresponding ends of such centermost tenter member. The linking rods or bolts 57a, unlike the remaining linking rods or bolts 57, extend downwardly beyond the underside of the particular tenter member for securing contact with platform 5 (see FIGS. l, 2 and 8). Thus, the corresponding guide bar 3 is angularly displaceable about the linking rod 57a as pivot point at the end of the stationary centermost tenter member adjacent thereto. By appropriate selective interval positioning of the spacer collars 15 on side walls 14, the range of angular displacement of the letting out means or guide bars 3 can be controlled to control in turn the range of longitudinal displacement of the tenter members 4 (see FIG. l). Of course, any other appropriate stop means may be used to determine the range of displacement of guide bars 3 and/or the tenter members 4.

FIGS. 6 and 8 show in detail the spatial relation of the pelt retaining means in the form of spaced apart pelt engaging tenter pins 6. Tenter pins 6 are carried on each tenter member 4, preferably throughout its operative length, and commonly extend upwardly from the respective tenter members operatively at least to the selective level of the longitudinal cutting plane C as deiined by the fur side boundary surface of pelt 53 in FIG. 6 and at most beyond the cutting plane an overlapping increment essentially less than the corresponding selective thickness of the pelt being cut. While two more or less parallel rows of tenter pins 6 are shown in FIG. 8, it will be realized that only one or more than two such rows may be utilized generally depending upon the Width of the tenter members 4, the corresponding interval between the aggregate side by side cutting edges 8 (eg. where two tandem rotary cutters 23 with cooperatively offset cutting edges 8 are used), and in turn the width of the pelt pieces or strips to be cut.

The primary purpose of the pelt retaining means is to hold the pelt in essentially stationary spatial relation with the fur side boundary surface essentially, and preferably precisely, lying in the selective height cutting plane, to allow the fur hair to lay or flow outwardly and downwardly away from the fur side boundary surface of the pelt, i.e. in a ow direction out of the path of the cutting edges 8, and be maintained in essentially uncompacted, unsqueezed or unmatted condition. Accordingly, the cutting edges 8, which have a corresponding selective cutting depth also essentially, and preferably precisely, lying in or exactly bounded by or terminating at, such cutting plane, e.g. in accordance with the aforementioned 1/1000 inch tolerance, will cut completely through the pelt without cutting any of the thus remotely disposed fur hair. All pressure on the fur hair must be avoided to prevent squashing of such hair in effect into the path of the cutting edges 8. Of course, suitable adjustments in the selective depth of the cutting edges 8 will be made where the optional slack-compensating comb 52 is present, so that the fur side boundary surface of the pelt, at the operative level of the comb face, and the cutting edges 3 Will essentially coincide with the desired selective resultant level cutting plane.

Moreover, it is generally intended that the tenter pins 6, which may be in the form of stainless steel pins, such as pins comprising phonograph needles or the like, be mounted snugly in holes drilled appropriately in the top surfaces of the tenter members 4 to a common depth throughout so that all of the tenter pins are at a precise common height with their pin points more or less coinciding with a plane normal to the shaft axes of the pins. For example, parallel rows of pairs of pins of about 5/8 inch length having an exposed height of inch, laterally spaced apart about 1A; inch and longitudinally spaced apart about 1A; to 1/2 inch (usually more closely spaced as the rows approach the end portions of the tenter members to accommodate the generally smaller cut strips thereat), mounted on respective tenter members commonly having a length of about 26 inches, a height of about 2 inches and a width of about 3/16 inch, including in the aggregate about 66 tenter members, can be used effectively for cutting parallel lengthwise pelt strips of equal width from a mink fur half pelt of average size with a single rotary cutter having a concordant number of cutting discs with their cutting edges spaced apart correspondingly about DAG inch and aligned with the respective intersections between the adjacent tenter members. Such strips will have a width of i/l inch and a length for the longest strips (see FIGS. 9 and 10) of up to about 9 inches.

yIt is not intended that the pin points be so sharp as to puncture the pelt since their main role is to hold the pelt in somewhat taut condition in spaced relation to the tenter members without compacting the fur and with the fur side boundary surface in proper planar disposition at least longitudinally along the respective cutting paths of the corresponding cutting edges 8, with due allowance for the optional presence of the comb 52. This will permit the complete cutting through of the pelt into pieces or strips without cutting the fur, and the continued maintenance of the cut pieces or srips in the same spatial relation with respect to the cutting plane during and after their individual successive incremental displacement to the let out offset position.

In essence, therefore, the tenter pins on all of the tenter members will hold the uncut pelt against displacement of the fur side boundary surface thereof from the cutting plane and against displacement within said plane, i.e. horizontally longitudinally as well as transversely.

Moreover, the tenter pins on the individual tenter members will correspondingly hold the corresponding cut piece or strip in the same spatial relation with respect to such cutting plane yet permit longitudinal displacement within such cutting plane of each individual cut piece or strip, to achieve the desired successive incremental offset relation thereof without any fur hair becoming interposed at the seams or edges between adjacent abutting peit pieces or strips. In this way, the pelt bonding agent can be applied substantially along the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent resultant offset pieces or strips to reconnect them to form the iinal composite cut, let out and correspondingly reconnected fur pelt, free from any interposed fur hair which would otherwise prevent the placing back together of the cut edges because of the hair thickness therebetween.

As an aid in maintaining the pelt uniformly in the desired spatial relation, a flat glass plate (not shown) can be laid on the pelt disposed on the tenter pins 6 which will be pushed ahead by the comb 52 as the cutting assembly 2 passes over the tenter assembly 1.

The exaggerated crimped portions of the pelt 53 on the tenter pins 6 at the intervalled grooves of the comb 52 as shown in FIG. 6 are generally not punctured to any substantial depth by the pins, depending upon the positional relation of the aligned pins and comb grooves and the gap therebetween. Such gap can be selectively adjusted to accommodate the selective thickness of the pelt being cut by the aforementioned vertical adjustment of the track means 9 and/or cutting means 7, or by vertical adjustment of the level of the comb with respect to the cutter housing 33 by similar fine vertical adjustment conventional means (not shown), as the case may be. Since any such puncturing of the pelt by the tenter pins is at the fur side of the pelt, this will not detract from the favorable appearance of the composite pelt because the fur will completely hide such punctures. On the other hand, if the pins do puncture the pelt completely through to the opposite fur-free or non-fur side, this will still not present diiculties, so long as the fur side boundary layer remains in the selected cutting plane, as the .punctures can be adequately sealed by the pelt bonding agent, for instance when applied as a coating to the fur-free side of the pelt strips being interconnected.

After the cutting assembly 2 has passed over the tenter assembly I and performed its cutting function, the same may be lifted or tipped to bring the cutting edges 8 out of the range of the pelt, e.g. with the rearmost end of the skid means 19 resting on track surfaces 10, and thus be brought back to its original or starting position. A sufficiently long electrical cord should be provided for motor 47 to permit unhindered reciprocal travel of the cutting assembly 2 along the operative range of the cutting path.

FIG. 9 shows the disposition schematically of a pretrimmed left half pelt 58 fur side down on the tenter members 4 via the tenter pins (not shown) prior to the cutting of the pelt. The pelt is preferably in the form of a lateral half of a ventrally cut-open natural animal fur pelt severed from the remaining half thereof by a substantially central lengthwise axial cut dorsally extending from the head end to the rump end of the natural pelt along the center back or groetzen. In the instance shown, the half pelt has been optionally trimmed somewhat to remove the neck, tail and paw fur and provide a shape more desirable for fabrication of a let out pelt. However, the pelt may be used in its original condition, i.e. still containing the neck, tail and paw fur, and any trimming carried out if desired after the composite cut, let out and reconnected pelt has been fabricated.

Initially, the tenter members 4 are in an original positional relation dening in the aggregate a parallelogram having the short diagonal axis thereof extending from the upper left obtuse angle to the lower right obtuse angle formed by the aggregate tenter members, as shown in FIG. 9. The left half pelt 5S is stretched smoothly and tautly thereon substantially along such short -axis with the head end 59 facing the upper left obtuse angle, the rump end 60 facing the lower right obtuse angle, the groetzen side 61 facing outwardly toward the upper right acute angle and the ventral or belly side 62 facing inwardly toward the lower left acute angle of such parallelogram.

The tenter pins 6 need actually only be provided along the corresponding portions of the tenter members 4 within the aggregate parallelogram area at which the pelt to be cut will be located in overlying relation. This will depend upon the dimensions of the pelt being cut and the selective angle of the cut desired with respect to the longitudinal orientation of the uncut pelt or half pelt. The dash lines 63` indicate the cuts to be made by the correspending cutting edges 8. Cutting edges 8 will normally be the same in number as the number of intersections between the adjacent tenter members 4 at least within the range of the pelt 58 disposed on the tenter members in the cutting path and will also be of a corresponding selective interval apart in concordance with the width of the respective tenter members and of the strips to be cut.

By selectively placing the pelt on the tenter members at an angle to the longitudinal cutting path, the angle of the cuts corresponding to the dash lines 63 with respect to the normal longitudinal orientation of the uncut pelt or half pelt can be accordingly determined. As shown, the cuts in the half pelt 58 will be made in a direction upwardly and outwardly more or less from the groetzen side and rump end to the beliy side and head end with respect to the normal longitudinal orientation of the half pelt. The half pelt will thus be cut into substantially parallel strips, e.g. of substantially the same width, in a longitudinal direction at an angle to the axial cut of the half pelt to form cut strips correspondingly outwardly slanting in relation to the original lateral half pelt from the dorsally cut side to the ventrally cut-open side thereof.

On the other hand, if it is desired to execute the cuts in a direction downwardly and outwardly more or less from the groetzen side and head end to the belly side and rump end with respect to such normal orientation, the tenter members 4 will be provided in an original positional relation dening in the aggregate a parallelogram having the short diagonal axis thereof extending from the upper right obtuse angle to the lower left obtuse angle formed by the aggregate tenter members as shown in FIG. 10. The half pelt 58, in such instance, will be placed on the tenter members substantially along the now opposite short axis, but with the head end 59 facing the upper right obtuse angle, the rump end dit facing the lower left obtuse angle, the groetzen side 61 facing outwardly toward the lower right acute angle and the ventral or belly side 162 facing inwardly toward the upper left acute angle, of such reverse orientation parallelogram.

By reason of the presence of one or both of the letting out means or guide bars 3y (see FIGS. 2 and 8), the tenter members 4 can be urged in the desired longitudinal direction by angular displacement of such corresponding guide bar 3 about the pivot axis of the adjacent linking bolt or rod 57a of the substantially centermost stationary tenter member 4. For example, the tenter members above the centermost tenter member having the linking bolts or rods 57a can be displaced successively incrementally to the left and the tenter members below the centermost tenter member in turn displaced successively incrementally to the right, in accord with the parallelogram orientation shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, by appropriate common movement of the corresponding guide bars 3, to achieve the parallelogram orientation shown in FIG. l0, and vice versa.

Thus, after the cutting assembly 2` has passed along the cutting path over the tenter assembly 1 to cut the pelt 58 into generally parallel longitudinal pieces or strips corresponding to the cut lines or dash lines 63, the tenter members 4 are longitudinally displaced by the letting out means or guide bars 3i in the reverse direction to move the cut portions or strips relative to one another to a positional relation in which the cut strips are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation as shown in FIG. l0, while still maintaining the aforedescribed spatial positioning of the cut portions or strips. The now cut and let out pelt is composed of the pieces or strips 58a, individually corresponding to the areas between the dash lines 63 of FIG. 9 but offset with respect thereto to provide an apparent head end 59a, rump end 60a, groetzen side 61a and ventral or belly side 62a. The individual cut edges define seams 63a at the abutting margins of the adjacent resultant offset strips 62a which are essentially free of interposed fur hair thereat. The fur side boundary surfaces of all of the pieces or strips are still substantially stationarily spatially maintained essentially in the cutting plane.

It will be appreciated, of course, that if a different successive incremental offset relation is desired for the cut strips for other let out effects of the cut pelt, the pivot points for the letting out means or guide bars 3` can be placed on a different tenter member 4 than the substantially centermost one or even be selectively placed at a remote point, e.g. in the side wall 14 at one corresponding lateral side of the tenter members, as desired.

Prior to the ventral opening up of the natural animal fur pelt, the original cased or tubular pelt, which has normally already been tanned or dressed, is preferably shaped and stretched in rewet condition in the conventional manner. However, it will be appreciated that the raw pelt itself can be processed in accordance with the various features of the present invention as well as any synthetic type cloth fur material, even though the employment of a natural animal fur type pelt is particularly preferred. This is true, since the present apparatus and method are aimed at the cutting of a planar type material having fur type hair extending from one side thereof, which side is intended to be the outer or attractive side of the material from which a corresponding fur type garment is to be made and the fur hair of which is not to be cut during the letting out process nor be permitted to get between the common cut edges of the strips to interfere with the interconnecting of such edges. By avoiding the cutting of essentially any of such fur no short hairs or stubble mar the attractiveness of the natural lay or flow of the normal length hair or fur on the desired fur side, and by avoiding the interposition of any such fur hair between the edges of the strips, the bonding between the strips is neater and more complete and likewise no spaces or interruptions occur in the lay or flow of such hair or fur on said desired fur side.

lFIGS. l-1 and l2 show a stretching assembly `64- for the pretreatment of such a tubular natural animal fur pelt to be utilized according to the invention. Stretching assembly 64 comprises a selectively shaped flat main stretch board 65, a counterboard 66 and an interposed wedge 67. The uncut, preferably tanned or dressed, tubular animal pelt, shown schematically at 68, is placed, fur side in, over the assembly 64 in wet condition or rst placed, fur side in, over the assembly in more or less dry condition and then wetted. Preferably, the pelt is soaked in water first since it is then more pliable and more readily positioned over the stretching assembly 64. The pelt 68 is carefully aligned so that the axial back center line or groetzen overlies closely along one of the precisely straight corner edges of one of the boards and the center line of the belly overlies closely along the diagonally opposite precisely straight corner edge of the other board.

This will permit correspondingly straight indicative lines to be marked on the non-fur side of the pelt, e.g. by pencil, chalk or the like, exactly along the corresponding centerlines of the groetzen and of the belly. This is usually done after the wedge 67 has been forced between the boards 65 and 66 sufficiently to stretch and shape the previously aligned pliable wet tubular pelt to the desired extent and the pelt has dried. Upon removing the Wedge 67 after the pelt has been shaped, stretched, dried and marked, the tubular pelt which is now more or less in conical form can be cut open ventrally along the marked belly line and dorsally along the marked groetzen line to provide accurately cut half pelts in a convenient form for letting out according to the invention.

As an additional optional feature, where a natural animal fur pelt is used, especially a tanned or dressed pelt, a portion of the skin thickness can be removed from the non-fur side thereof to reduce the cross-sectional thickness of the resultant pelt and in turn to reduce the weight of the composite pelt fabricated therefrom. This can be accomplished by conventional knife scraping or peeling techniques.

In the final stage of fabricating the composite pelt in accordance with the invention, i.e. after the pelt has been cut and the strips offset as shown in FIG. 10, the pelt bonding agent can be merely applied substantially along the seams 63a at the abutting margins of the adjacent resultant offset strips 58a. The pelt bonding agent is applied, for example, substantially in a direction from the fur-free or non-fur side of the cut strips 58a to avoid disturbing the precise spatial relationship thereof and especially undesired movement of fur hair into the seams. In this way, upon setting or drying of the pelt bonding agent, the individual portions or strips 58a will be interconnected with one another along their common edges or seams and correspondingly the fur side boundary surfaces of the resultant cut, let out and reconnected fur pelt so fabricated will still be disposed essentially in the same, i.e. cutting, plane.

The pelt bonding agent can be any conventional glue, cement or adhesive compatible with the particular material of which the pelt is composed, and preferably will be quick setting or drying and/or not affected adversely by conventional dry cleaning solvents or liquids. A tetrahydrofuran solvent based highly volatile and quick drying cement or bonding agent has been found to be par- :icularly effective, such as the tetrahydrofuran based polyurethane resin pelt bonding agent or cement No. 1506 of the H. B. Fuller Co. (Minneapolis, Minn).

This formation contact cement or any analogous tetrahydrofuran based polyurethane resin bonding agent binds practically on contact and dries in as little as about 10 seconds under proper conditions. Apparently some of the cement flows into the porous surfaces of the cut pelt portions or strips, especially at the exposed cut seam areas, and the solvent is thus partially absorbed while the remainder rapidly volatilizes.

After the individual portions or strips have been reconnected by the bonding agent to form the composite fur pelt, the same can be removed from the tenter members as a one-piece composite unit. If a simple temporary or non-permanent glue or adhesive has been used to reconnect the pelt strips, the composite pelt can then be permanently interconnected or the seams rein-forced. This can be accomplished by sewing in the conventional manner at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset interconnected strips to form a reinforced sewn composite let out pelt as shown schematically in lFIG. 13. The advantage here is that the temporarily connected strips are in a form facilitating their sewing together, without having to handle each individual strip separately as in the past for the offsetting and sewing operations or keep track of the strips and their ordinal sequence. The strips are merely folded back at the adjacent seam without separating the strips and stitched from the non-fur side as shown at 69 in lFIG. 13. As a further advantage, of course, no short fur hair stubble is present nor is any fur hair interposed between adjacent seam edges when they are sewn together since suicient bonding interconnection remains after -folding back the adjacent strips at the seam to permit the necessary stitching to take place.

To insure against accidental separation of the temporarily adhered or bonded strips, however, a reinforcing pliable backing can be applied to the non-fur side of the composite pelt, such as a backing of pliable coarse silk netting material or even later-removable paper sheeting or the like. The seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset interconnected strips thereafter can be reinforced by simply sewing through the backing in the manner noted above.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, even where a permanent type pelt bonding agent is used to reconnect the strips, a reinforcing pliable backing is applied to the non-fur side of the composite pelt to add structural integrity to the unit and prevent undesired stretching of the pelt material during use. To this end, for instance, after the letting out of the cut strips, the reinforcing pliable backing such as a pliable coarse net backing of silk material or the like, e.g. of the type used in the garment industry, can be overlaid onto the non-fur side of the resultant offset strips prior to the applying of the bonding agent. Then the bonding agent can be applied substantially between the backing and the non-fur side of the strips, e.g. through the net openings, and substantially along the seams so as to bond the backing to the non-fur side and to interconnect the strips to one another. FIG. 14 schows schematically a portion of such a composite pelt having a reinforcing pliable coarse net backing 70 bonded to the non-fur side of adjacent strips.

Preferably, in the case of the use of a net backing, after applying the bonding agent and before it has had a chance to set, the net backing is stretched lengthwise substantially within its own plane in the longitudinal direction of the seams to correspondingly decrease its transverse width and concomitantly place the adjacent freshly adhering portions of the strips under transverse tension along the seams. This will result in a selectively closer and more precise snug t or contiguous interconnected disposition of the strips in the composite pelt (see FIG. 15).

It is optionally desirable to provide both the backing and the uncut pelt or the cut strips with a preliminary coating of the bonding agent, i.e. prior to the overlaying of the backing onto the strips, and subsequently apply further bonding agent between the backing and strips and along the seams. Such preliminary coating of the bonding agent can be advantageously applied to the tubular pelt even before the same is cut to provide the half pelts to be cut and left out in turn according to the invention. On the other hand, depending upon the nature of the bonding agent, where both the backing and uncut pelt or cut strips have been given a preliminary coating of the bonding agent, instead of subsequently applying further bonding agent, merely the solvent corresponding to the solvent portion of the original bonding agent coating used can be applied between the backing and strips and along the seams to reactivate the original bonding agent which has meanwhile dried and attain the requisite desired nal bonding of the strips to the backing and to one another along the seams. This feature is particularly applicable for such 10 second contact bonding when employing tetrahydrofuran solvent for reactivating a tetrahydrofuran based bonding agent such as one of the type identified above.

The procedure for cutting the remaining half pelt is the same as described above but in a reverse orientation of the parallelogram disposition of the tenter members and diagonal disposition of the pelt to be cut. Specifically, in this instance, the disposition of the tenter members shown in FIG. l0 is used as the original positional relation and the let out or oifset positional relation after the cutting of the pelt is that shown in FIG. 9. The right half pelt is placed along the short axis with the corresponding head end facing the upper right obtuse angle, the rump end facing the lower left obtuse angle, the groetzen side facing outwardly toward the upper left acute angle and the ventral or belly side facing inwardly toward the lower right acute angle of the parallelogram shown in FIG. 10. In this way, the corresponding angle and direction of slant to that of the cuts in the Arfirst or left half pelt can be provided for the remaining or right half pelt.

After cutting, letting out and reconnecting the cut strips, the composite half pelt fabricated from the remaining half pelt can be combined with the corresponding cut, let out and reconnected first composite half pelt, i.e. of the same type formed from the other lateral half pelt of the same natural animal fur pelt, to form a composite full pelt or stripe. This may be done by interconnecting the two composite half pelts along the resultant adjacent edge portions corresponding to the dorsally cut sides of the original lateral half pelts.

Such a composite full pelt or stripe is shown in FIG. 1S, and it is seen that the left and right composite half pelts 71 and 72, respectively, are substantially mirror images of each other and represent selectively lengthened or let out half pelts, provided with a composite head end 73, rump end 74, recombined groetzen 75 and separate ventral or belly sides '76. The half pelts 71 and 72 are interconnected at their corresponding groetzen sides 75 either by applying further bonding agent therealong as described above or by stitching the two halves together thereat in the conventional manner.

Advantageously, the half pelts can also be combined by applying a silk fine netting tape or backing 77, shown in dash line, or the like, analogous to netting or backing 70 used to reinforce the strips in the corresponding half pelts, a portion of which netting 70 is indicated for illustration at the rurnp end of the left half pelt Such tape 77 can be bonded by the use of said pelt bonding agent in the above described manner.

It has even been found advantageous to use such tape 77 or the like to repair or damage out any false cuts or other imperfections which may exist in the pelt by applying the tape and pelt bonding agent to the false cut. The tape 77 or even the bonding agent alone can also be used to seal any through punctures appearing on the non-fur side which have been made by the tenter pins 6.

It will be appreciated that by providing each half pelt with a precisely straight line cut at the groetzen portion for instance as discussed above in connection with the features of FIGS. 11 and 12, the interpositioning or intermeshing of the stepped offset edges of the composite half pelts along the groetzen sides thereof can be facilitated. On the other hand, the stepped edges along the groetzen sides of the half pelts can be trimmed in the conventional manner to provide a straight edge abutment longitudinal interconnection between the half pelts, e.g. by such tape 77 or netting 7 0 bonded thereat or by conventional stitching or the like.

Furthermore, whether the half pelts have been pretrimmed as noted above or not, the perimeter of the composite half pelts or of the composite full pelt can also be trimmed, as shown in FIG. 15, to provide more convenient abutment edges for tape and bonding connection or sewing connection or the like with the next adjacent composite full pelt or stripe in the garment eventually to be made. However, similar interpositioning or intermeshing of the stepped offset outer edges of the composite full pelt with the next adjacent composite full pelt in the garment can also be undertaken by appropriate interrnesh fitting and interconnection as described above.

Considering the usually large number of cut strips in each let out half pelt, even if the longitudinal edges or perimeter edges of the composite half pelts have been trimmed conventionally as aforesaid, the amount of fur hair accidentally cut or nding its way between abutting edges to be interconnected will be only an insignificant fraction of the amount which would have occurred if the individual strips were not fabricated into the composite half pelts in the manner of the invention.

FIG. 16 shows a fur pelt plate or shell 78, composed of a plurality of composite full pelts or stripes, of the type fabricated by cutting, letting out and reconnecting according to the invention, combined together in the manner noted above. The plate or shell 78 is usable analogously to manufactured yard goods in that it can be cut and shaped to form a fur garment such as a fur coat without having to build up the coat a half pelt at a time as in the former conventional fur coat producing practice.

In fact, while in the past, using the conventional manual letting out technique, about 11/2 days were required to produce enough let out half pelts to form the stripes necessary for an average size fur coat, the same quantity can be produced by a single operator in only about hours using the apparatus and method of the present invention. A plate or shell for an average size fur coat usually contains about 25 double or full composite pelts or stripes. Also, the more attractive appearance due to the lack of cut fur hairs or stubble and the structurally reinforced nature of the instant composite pelts having a bonded backing thereon to minimize stretching of the final garment out of shape, for example from constant sitting while wearing a fur coat, distinguish further the present advance from the tedious conventional manual technique. Where bonding, preferably with applied reinforced backing, is used to reconnect the cut strips rather than sewing the strips together in the conventional manner, advantageously the usual 22% loss in effective length caused by such sewing is furthermore saved.

Generally, the apparatus and process of the present invention are intended to accommodate any type natural animal or synthetic fur pelt material and especially all types of mink, raccoon, chinchilla, sable, beaver, nutria, fisher, iitch, marten, muskrat, and the like. For example, in the case of a mink pelt, the cut, let out and reconnected composite full pelt (see FIG. may have a head end Width of about 2 to 31/2 inches, a rump end width of about 2% to 4 inches (which is usually about 1A to 1/2 inch wider than the corresponding head end), and a length of about 28 to 5() inches, depending upon the size of the animal and the number of offset intervals of the successive cut strips. In a practical case, according to the invention, using a single rotary cutter, 66 cut strips of up to about 9 inches in length and about V16 inch in width can often be cut from a single half pelt.

Since diiferent type pelts have dilerent thicknesses, lengths and Widths requiring appropriately different strip widths, for commercial let out pelt production, a different apparatus of the desired dimensions can be conveniently provided for each type pelt to be processed. This will avoid the need for readjustment of the coacting parts as when changing from one type pelt to another on the same machine. However, interchangeable sizes of tenter members and rotary cutters can also be employed instead.

It will be realized that other means equivalent in function may be utilized for those shown for the tenter assembly 1, cutting assembly 2 and letting out means 3, and that such means may be operated automatically and/or by remote control so as to achieve, Within the tolerances intended, the cutting, letting out and reconnecting of the fur pelt essentially Without cutting any of the-fur hair or permitting such hair to become interposed in the seams between adjacent cut strips.

It will be appreciated that the instant specification and drawings are set forth by way of illustration and not limitation, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus Ifor cutting and letting out fur pelts which comprises tenter means for substantially stationarily spatially positioning the fur side boundary surface of a fur pelt in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of such pelt facing away from such cutting path and having the fur in substantially uncompacted disposition and with the nonfur side boundary surface of such pelt extending into such cutting path, cutting means for cutting said pelt into Substantially parallel longitudinal portions along said cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from such non-fur side to a depth coinciding with said cutting plane at said fur side boundary surface substantially without cutting into the -fur and substantially without disturbing the corresponding substantially stationarily spatial positioning of the resultant cut portions, and means for letting out such cut portions by longitudinally moving said cut portions relative to one another to a positional relation in which said cut portions are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation while maintaining said spatial positioning of said cut portions, to permit the reconnecting of said cut portions to one another in said olfset relation and spatial positioning to form a composite, let out and correspondingly reconnected fur pelt.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 for cutting and letting out fur pelts which comprises a plurality of side by side longitudinal tenter members longitudinally movable relative to one another from an original parallel position to an offset parallel position in which said tenter members are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original position relation, pelt retaining means on each said tenter member for the individual substantially stationary spatial positioning of a corresponding portion of a fur pelt thereon in spaced relation to the corresponding tenter member with the fur side facing such tenter member and the fur side pelt boundary surface of all of the pelt portions lying essentially in a selective cutting plane, and longitudinally movable cutting means including a plurality of side by side operable pelt cutting edges laterally aligned respectively intermediate said side by side tenter members in facing relation thereto and having a cutting depth essentially coinciding With said cutting plane to achieve the complete cutting through of the pelt substantially Without cutting into the fur and substantially without disturbing the resultant individual substantially stationary spatial positioning of each cut pelt portion on the corresponding tenter member.

'3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pelt retaining means include pelt engaging pins commonly extending from the respective tenter members operatively at least to said cutting plane.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pelt retaining means include pelt engaging pins commonly extending from the respective tenter members operatively beyond said cutting plane an overlapping increment essentially less than the corresponding selective thickness of the pelt being cut.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein track means are provided having track surfaces precisely coinciding with a longitudinal travel plane, and said cutting means is operatively mounted on skid means for precise longitudinal movement correspondingly on said track surfaces to move said cutting edges into cutting contact with such pelt correspondingly precisely along said cutting plane.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said track means are adjustable to align precisely said track surfaces in said travel plane.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said cutting means are adjustable With respect to said skid means to bring said cutting edges to a cutting depth precisely coinciding with said cutting plane.

'8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said cutting means includes at least one rotary cutter containing a plurality of side by side cutting discs with the cutting edges thereof having said cutting depth.

9. Apparatus according to claim X5 wherein a slackcompensating comb is selectively mounted on said skid means just ahead of said cutting edges to preliminarily tautly engage the non-fur side of the pelt being cut and facilitate the cutting thereof by the corresponding cutting ed es.

gli). Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said tenter 4members are retained substantially against lateral displacement, each tenter member is provided with an end slot in at least one corresponding longitudinal end thereof extending in a slot plane substantially parallel to said cutting plane, a corresponding lateral guide bar containing an elongated swivel slot is inserted into the common end slots at such corresponding end of the tenter members, and each such end slot is provided with a linking rod extending through the adjacent elongated swivel slot and the corresponding end slot to linkably interconnect the commons ends of said tenter members to the adjacent guide bar thereat to permit controlled selective incremental displacement in longitudinal Vdirection of said tenter members with respect to one another from said original to said H- set position by angular displacement of the corresponding bar with respect to the longitudinal direction.

11. Apparatus according to claim wherein one of the tenter members is xed against displacement and the corresponding guide bar is angularly displaceable about the linking rod at the end of such stationary tenter meinber adjacent thereto.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said pelt retaining means include spaced apart pelt engaging pins carried on each said tenter member substantially throughout its operative length and commonly extending from the respective tenter members operatively at least to said cutting plane and at most beyond said cutting plane an overlapping increment essentially less than the corresponding selective thickness of the pelt being cut.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 for cutting and letting out natural animal fur pelts for in situ reconnection to form a composite pelt which comprises a plurality of side by side longitudinal tenter members longitudinally movable relative to one another from a selective original parallel position to a selective offset parallel position in which said tenter members are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original position relation, spaced apart pelt engaging pins carried on each said tenter member substantially throughout its operative length and commonly extending upwardly from the respective tenter members operatively at least to the selective level of a longitudinal cutting plane and at most beyond said cutting plane an overlapping increment es'- sentially less than the corresponding selective thickness of the natural animal fur pelt being cut for the aligned individual substantially stationary spatial positioning of a corresponding overlying portion of such pelt thereon in spaced relation to the corresponding tenter member with the fur side facing such tenter member and the common fur side boundary surface of all of the pelt portions lying precisely in said cutting plane, a pair of substantially parallel track means laterally confining said side by side tenter members and having track surfaces precisely coinciding with a longitudinal travel plane parallel to said cutting plane, a pair of parallel skid means having skid surfaces precisely coinciding with said travel plane and mounted operatively on said track surfaces for precise longitudinal movement correspondingly therealong, cutting means operatively mounted on said skid means and including a rotary cutter containing a plurality of side by side cutting discs with operable parallel pelt cutting edges laterally aligned respectively intermediate said side by side tenter members and positioned above and in opposed facing relation thereto and having a common selective cutting depth precisely coinciding with said cutting plane for movement into cutting contact with such pelt correspondingly precisely along said cutting plane to achieve the complete cutting through of the pelt without cutting into the fur and Without disturbing the resultant aligned substantially stationary spatial positioning of each cut pelt portion on the corresponding tenter member and to permit the subsequent longitudinal movement of the tenter members with respect to one another without disturbing said resultant positioning of the cut pelt portions thereon.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said track means are selectively adjustable to align precisely said track surfaces in said travel plane precisely parallel with said cutting plane, and said rotary cutter is selectively adjustable with respect to said skid means to bring said cutting edges to a cutting depth precisely coinciding with said cutting plane.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein a slackcompensating comb is selectively mounted on said skid means just ahead of said cutting edges to preliminarily tautly engage the esh side of the skin of the pelt being cut and facilitate the complete cutting through thereof by the corresponding cutting edges which extend to said cutting depth precisely coinciding with said cutting plane.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the substantially centermost tenter member is iixed against displacement, each tenter member is provided with an end slot in each longitudinal end thereof extending in a slot plane substantially parallel to said cutting plane, a corresponding lateral guide bar containing an elongated swivel slot is inserted into the common end slots at each end of the tenter members, and each end slot is provided with a linking rod extending through the correspondingly adjacent elongated swivel slot and such end slot to linkably interconnect the common ends of said tenter members to the adjacent guide bar thereat to permit controlled selective incremental displacement in longitudinal direction of said tenter members with respect to one another from said original to said offset position by common angular displacement of said bars with respect to the longitudinal direction about the corresponding linking rods at the corresponding ends of such stationary centermost tenter member as pivot points.

17. Method of fabricating out, let out and reconnected fur pelts which comprises substantially stationarily spatially positioning the fur side pelt boundary surface of a fur pelt in a selective longitudinal cutting plane adjacent a longitudinal cutting path with the fur side of such pelt facing away from such cutting path and having the fur in substantially unconipacted disposition and with the non-fur side boundary surface of such pelt extending into said cutting path, cutting said pelt into substantially parallel longitudinal strips along said cutting path by completely cutting through the thickness of the pelt in a direction from such non-fur side to a depth substantially coinciding with said cutting plane at said fur side boundary surface substantially without cutting into the fur, letting out such cut strips by longitudinally moving said cut strips relative to one another to a positional relation in which said strips are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation, and reconnecting said strips to one another by applying a pelt bonding agent substantially along the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent resultant offset strips, such cutting, letting out and reconnecting steps being carried out While substantially stationarily spatially maintaining the fur side boundary surface of the resultant individual cut through strips in said cutting plane with the fur still in substantially uncompacted disposition, to form a composite, let out and corresponding reconnected fur pelt.

18. Method according to claim 17 wherein the fur side pelt boundary surface is positioned precisely in the cutting plane, the cutting is carried out to a depth precisely coinciding with such cutting plane, and the cutting, letting out and reconnecting steps are all carried out while substantially stationarily spatially maintaining the fur side boundary surface of the resultant individual cut through strips precisely in such cutting plane with the fur still in substantially uncompacted condition.

19. Method according to claim 17 wherein said fur pelt is a dressed natural animal fur pelt.

20. Method according to claim 17 wherein the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset interconnected strips are thereafter reinforced by sewing.

21. Method according to claim 17 wherein a reinforcing pliable backing is applied to the non-fur side of the composite pelt.

22. Method according to claim 17 wherein a reinforcing pliable coarse net backing is applied to the non-fur side of the composite pelt.

23. Method according to claim 22 wherein the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset interconnected strips are thereafter reinforced by sewing through said backing.

24. Method according to claim 17 wherein a reinforcing pliable backing is overlaid onto the non-fur side of the resultant offset strips prior to the applying of said bonding agent, and said bonding agent is applied substantially between said backing and the non-fur side of said strips and substantially along said seams to bond said backing to said non-fur side of said strips and to interconect said strips to one another.

25. Method according to claim 24 wherein said backing is a reinforcing pliable coarse net backing, and after applying said bonding agent said backing is stretched lengthwise substantially within its own plane in the longitudinal direction of said seams to correspondingly decrease its transverse width and concomitantly place the adjacent freshly adhering portion of said strips under transverse tension along said seams for a closer and more precise continguous interconected disposition of the strips in the composite pelt.

26. Method according to claim 25 wherein said pelt is a dressed natural animal fur pelt, and said pelt and backing are both provided with a preliminary coating of said bonding agent prior to the overlaying of said backing onto said strips and the subsequent applying of said bonding agent between the backing and strips and along the seams.

27. Method according to claim 17 wherein said pelt is in the form of a lateral half of a ventrally cut-open natural animal fur pelt severed from the remaining half thereof by a substantially central lengthwise axial cut dorsally extending from the head end to the rump end of the natural pelt, and said cutting of the half pelt into said substantially parallel strips is carried out in a longitudinal direction at an angle to the axial cut of the half pelt to form cut ctrips correspondingly outwardly slanting in relation to the original lateral half pelt from the dorsally cut side to the ventrally cut-open side thereof.

28. Method according to claim 27 wherein the composite half pelt is combined with a corresponding such cut, let out and reconnected composite half pelt of the same type formed from the remaining lateral half pelt of said natural animal fur pelt to form a composite full pelt by interconnecting the two composite half pelts along the resultant adjacent edge portions corresponding to the dorsally cut sides of the original lateral half pelts.

29. Method according to claim 28 wherein the composite full pelt is combined with at least one additional corresponding such cut, let out and reconnected composite full pelt of the same type to form a composite fur pelt plate.

30. Cut, let out and reconnected composite fur pelt which comprises a plurality of individual substantially parallel longitudinal strips, cut sequentially from the same fur pelt, in let out positional relation to one another in which said strips are in successive incremental longitudinally offset relation with respect to their original positional relation yet in the same positional sequence, and reconnected to one another by a pelt bonding agent applied substantially along the seams at the abutting margins of the adjacent offset strips, and having essentially all of the fur thereof intact in uncut condition on the corresponding fur side of such pelt and the seams essentially free from any interposed fur hair thereat.

31. Composite fur pelt according to claim 30 wherein said strips are cut from a dressed natural animal fur pelt.

32. Composite fur pelt according to claim 30 wherein a reinforcing pliable backing is bonded to the non-fur side of the composite pelt.

33. Composite fur pelt according to claim 30 wherein a reinforcing pliable coarse net backing is bonded to the non-fur side of the composite pelt.

34. Composite fur pelt according to claim 33 wherein said backing is stretched lengthwise substantially within its own plane in the longitudinal direction of said seams and the adjacent portions of said strips are concomitantly placed under transverse tension along said seams for a closer and more precise contiguousinterconnected disposition of the strips in the composite pelt.

35. Composite fur pelt according to claim 30 wherein said strips are cut from a lateral half of a ventrally cutopen natural animal fur pelt severed from the remaining half thereof by a substantially central lengthwise axial cut dosally extending from the head end of the rump end of the natural pelt, and the cut strips are of substantially the same width and extend in a longitudinal direction at an angle to the axial cut of the half pelt and correspondingly outwardly slant in relation to the original half pelt from the dosally cut side to the vertically cut-open side thereof.

36. Composite fur pelt according to claim 3S wherein the composite half pelt is combined with a corresponding such cut, let out and reconnected composite half pelt of the same type formed from the remaining lateral half pelt of said natural animal fur pelt to form a composite full pelt, the two composite half pelts being interconnected along the resultant adjacent edge portions corresponding to the dorsally cut sides of the original lateral half pelts.

37. Composite fur pelt according to claim 36 wherein the composite full pelt is combined with at least one additional corresponding such cut, let out and reconnected composite full pelt of the same type to form a composite fur pelt plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,042,991 7/1962 Rona 156--68 X FOREIGN PATENTS 590,002 1/ 1960 Canada 156-68 WILLIAM A. POWELL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

